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Outdoor Gyms
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Highly impressed you've done your research and are listening to feedback. The country needs more ppl like you making these decisions. Kudos!!
Thanks, I feel like we have dodged a major bullet. They are already back to me with a quote - I think it's going to work out actually. Very relieved. Disaster averted I think
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In cabinteely there is a photo of a woman about 50 or 60 doing hand walks on the parallel bars with an instructional guide. The chinup bars have 3 heights so weaker people can easily do rows, or negative reps with bent knees. I think information signs like this are very useful as many have no idea what to do. Maybe even a link to a website written on the equipment or something, "for information on how to use this go to..."The reason that pullup, dip and other bodyweight pieces get used is that they are exactly the same as you would get in a commercial gym, you can really do a workout on them.
Unfortunately they do only cater to a young beginner or fitter audience but the fact is that there is nothing practical available for older beginners or overweight people.
Or possibly have them arrange instructional days, like I have seen signs up in parks where people get together for free guided tours, or bird watching etc. Some local personal trainer could do it for free as it is also advertising for new clients in a way.
Some instructional signs are gone in cabinteely the equipment all looks OK. I think vandals will see the fancier moving stuff as more of a challenge to destroy. You might not want items on which they can sit & gather, teenagers all hang out on swings in the playground near me.Might be able to tell you what usage has been like on the stuff they bought etc. Any downsides too (vandalism etc)
When asking the likes of park keepers about usage they would have to realise what normal usage is for each piece. If I go to cabinteely I might bang out 15 chinups and be gone after a minute, while he might see a passerby messing on a machine with no resistance for 5minutes since it is so easy to do -and wrongly think the easy airwalker yoke is the better option.I think this seems to be the crux of the issue with these outdoor gyms - there is no challenge after so long so eventually they will just fall out of use completely.
Good, when doing resistance training most will want a rest before going on the next thing. In cabinteely there is a fair walk between them, I am usually on a bike so its no big deal but its a pain walking. I think the idea was that people would do circuits, and I do see people doing laps running and do some chins on each lap. But I do imagine most would prefer them together, it also allows for better designs, like having the same frame structure with 2-3 different functions connected to it.I had planned from day one to keep it all together. It's a small park anyway so spreading out wouldn't have been a great option
That looks great, the ladder thing at the end has more usesDavid Jones wrote: »Greystones park is excellent if a little heavy on upper body work. Underused though, I have always had place to myself, but not complaining!
http://vimeo.com/43565049
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Thanks, I feel like we have dodged a major bullet. They are already back to me with a quote - I think it's going to work out actually. Very relieved. Disaster averted I think
Great that it will work out, hopefully cheaper than the original stuff too?
You'll have to post some pictures of it onces it's done0 -
Thanks, I feel like we have dodged a major bullet. They are already back to me with a quote - I think it's going to work out actually. Very relieved. Disaster averted I think
Fair play to you. I think this is great! It's funny, I was actually saying to a friend just last week that it would be great to have a proper outdoor work out station whilst the weather was good. 0 -
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I'm back - I need some more advice on this. I am coming against some resistance from the organization giving us the grant as they feel that this equipment would only be suitable for very fit people and it needs to be useable by older people too.
I responded with an email explaining that the equipment is very versatile and that it can be used in multiple ways. We will have plenty of information up on how to use the equipment and will hold events for different levels of fitness, ability, agegroup on how to use the equipment.
Can any of you advise how say an older person could use this equipment. Someone mentioned Cabinteely - anyone have a link?
Thanks!
For example if there is a lower bar things like this could be done
http://www.alkavadlo.com/2010/01/all-about-australian-pull-ups/
It is all about finding the right leverage point. Things like the airwalkers and other machines offer zero resistance and would be the equivalent of moving your arms in circles.
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I am just back from holidays and there was a good one beside the beach in Quarteria, Portugal. No moving parts, just some wood, metal and rings. Very simple but very pratical and if you know what you're doing, which granted most people don't, its simplicity actually makes it much more versatile. Great for pull-ups, dips, inverted rows, monkey bars, leg raises and press-ups. I would imagine its relatively inexpensive and very easy to maintain. Seemed to be always one person there when we walked by.
Here is a picture of it...for science.
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The parallel bars showed an older woman doing 'hand walks' on them, this is where you hold onto the bars and lift yourself up as much as you can and move along using your hands. It would look like somebody recovering from rehab walking using their hands to support themselves. If you are strong enough you would do it with your legs in the air. For weaker people you just assist with your legs as little as possible.Someone mentioned Cabinteely - anyone have a link?
These are other easier exercises on parallel bars.
or this way
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Hi Irone
I'm not a regular on this forum, just happened to see the post on the front page. I do a lot of exercise with older and clinical populations, so I'm interested in this topic.
Congrats on the efforts to make a good decisions on this rather than just going with the easy option, great to see.
I'd be in agreement with some of the others that there's no reason why you can't come up with a set up which will suit all sectors of the population in your town.
To get your arguments together for your funding body, maybe have a read of some stuff about exercise in older populations, so you can see for yourself what might be needed and/or suitable. As an example, the documents here from the Centers for Disease Control in the US aren't perfect, but it's a start. Older people generally need exercises where the risk of falling is minimised, where you don't need to lie down / climb up to get into position for the exercise, which can progress from supporting only a fraction of bodyweight, and which are easy to understand and perform. For your park, some benches of different heights, some steps, and some bars at different heights (knee/waist/chest) would work really well for older/unfit people to do some basic but useful exercises.
I think the other point that you need to think carefully about it is how you are actually going to get older people to use the equipment. Obviously you can run classes in he park, but you would still like it to be used at other times, presumably. So can you divert some of your funding to cover signage for the equipment? The classic thing that i come against when I'm working with older or unwell groups is that, even if they want to exercise, they don't know what to do. And even if they do attend your introductory session they might forget what they've been shown, and be too afraid to try by themself. So try to get some really clear signs (big font, lots of pictures) showing how the equipment should be used. Even think about taking the photos yourself, using older people as your 'models' in the shots. Anything which would help to remove the intimidation factor. I think it would also be brilliant if you could suggest some simple routines, and there are lots of guidelines available which you could use, but I've no idea if there would be legal implications if someone hurt themselves or became unwell after following these guidelines (of course you could stick a disclaimer on it, but I know nothing about the legal end of stuff).
Sorry for long post!
Summary:
1) Find some published guidelines to help you understand the exercise needs of older people, and to show how your equipment could be used (if you don't know where to look, ask on here, PM me, or even perhaps contact the sports science department at your nearest university)
2) Put signs up showing how to use the equipment, because otherwise older people will be intimidates and won't go near itI'm back - I need some more advice on this. I am coming against some resistance from the organization giving us the grant as they feel that this equipment would only be suitable for very fit people and it needs to be useable by older people too.
I responded with an email explaining that the equipment is very versatile and that it can be used in multiple ways. We will have plenty of information up on how to use the equipment and will hold events for different levels of fitness, ability, agegroup on how to use the equipment.
Can any of you advise how say an older person could use this equipment. Someone mentioned Cabinteely - anyone have a link?
Thanks!0 -
i was in Rio De Janeiro a few weeks back, along all of the beaches every couple of hundred yards is one of these workout stations. It's fairly simple, doesn't take up a lot of room and you can get a full workout done on it very easily...it's another idea maybe!
Could be made from different materials to keep cost down, suit the climate etc.
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i was in Rio De Janeiro a few weeks back, along all of the beaches every couple of hundred yards is one of these workout stations. It's fairly simple, doesn't take up a lot of room and you can get a full workout done on it very easily...it's another idea maybe!
Could be made from different materials to keep cost down, suit the climate etc.
Fantastic.
Y'know with a bit of imagination every Dublin Bus shelter could be turned into a fitness station 0 -
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Hi all
I know I am a bit late to this thread but I just stumbled across it and I feel there are some areas I need to comment on. I should say first that I work with one of the companies mentioned earlier who originally quoted Irone. I am also a personal trainer with many years experience working in the leisure Industry.
My intention here is not to argue with anyone on the merits or otherwise of various types of Outdoor Gyms and Outdoor Gym Equipment. Everybody will have their own point of view on what is and isn't beneficial based on their experiences with exercising.
The main issue I want to comment on is the view that there is no challenge to lots of the pieces and therefore they are useless.
This view is mostly taken by people who are used to indoor gyms and well initiated into the fitness and exercising world. And they have a point - some of the equipment we provide is totally useless for them. The point of an outdoor gym is not to replace or replicate an indoor gym. The main purpose of an outdoor gym is to encourage people, who would not normally have any intention of doing anything more than walking, to try something new; to initiate them into the world of fitness and to get them doing some form of exercise which they would not have done otherwise. This is not to say that the equipment is a token effort - all of the pieces can benefit a certain group in some way. Take the cross-trainer, which somebody said was useless as there is little or no resistance involved. I defy anybody to go hell-for-leather on it for 5 minutes and not be out of breath. This can be scaled back to suit all fitness levels – just because something isn’t heavy or very difficult, doesn’t mean it can’t be extremely effective.
Somebody said in an earlier post that 'encouraging participation' is a senseless marketing term. On the contrary, it is a vital term, and one which local councils and development groups should be very focused on. Obesity and health diseases associated with inactivity are at an all time high in all demographics across Ireland due to an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. If you are into fitness, great. If you are not, then we need to try new things to get you exercising because you are unlikely to pick it up i on your own. Moving the indoor gym equipment outdoors is not the answer. Making machines simple to use, challenging or beneficial in some way, accessible, inviting, and free could be.
One more small point. Somebody mentioned vandalism – not really an issue unless somebody is armed and very motivated. Kicking, pulling and jumping will not harm these machines. They are extremely solid constructions.
Having said all this I take the point that the equipment we quoted for may have been too geared towards older age groups and inactive people. After reading all the feedback here I will be looking at adding more equipment aimed at active people to our range.
Apologies for the lengthy post but I felt there was a point of view that hadn’t got fair dues here. I hope the equipment Irone settled on is doing the business for the town. It was a great idea to come to boards for advice. I wish mine got to you sooner though
If anyone would like to discuss anything further, feel free to contact me!0 -
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The comments were along the lines of this.outdoorfitness Ireland wrote: »The main issue I want to comment on is the view that there is no challenge to lots of the pieces and therefore they are useless.
So they are useless in the sense you can just do exercises with no machines which work similar muscles to most of these machines. So superfluous rather than useless, money would be better spent on other things. The one at sandycove was €29,000. I would say a few water fountains would attract more people to longterm go & exercise in a park more than these gimmicks.Things like the airwalkers and other machines offer zero resistance and would be the equivalent of moving your arms in circles.
+1, much like walking/jogging/sprinting.outdoorfitness Ireland wrote: »Take the cross-trainer, which somebody said was useless as there is little or no resistance involved. I defy anybody to go hell-for-leather on it for 5 minutes and not be out of breath. This can be scaled back to suit all fitness levels – just because something isn’t heavy or very difficult, doesn’t mean it can’t be extremely effective0 -
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i was in Rio De Janeiro a few weeks back, along all of the beaches every couple of hundred yards is one of these workout stations. It's fairly simple, doesn't take up a lot of room and you can get a full workout done on it very easily...it's another idea maybe!
Could be made from different materials to keep cost down, suit the climate etc.
Every public park could have something like that set up inside a plastic see through shelter like a large phonebox. All these things happen abraod , why not here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!10 -
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcyd1H8zTLo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS81EQckKuI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JrwcnAkSmQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CDfQ36hH90
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